Indonesians are really crazy about sports, and particularly football and motoGP racing. Even in remote locations, you will meet taxi drivers and shopkeepers who know about your favorite team more than you do.

Most of all, they love to cheer together or "nonton bareng" as they call it. This is why you will find at least a TV with sports in almost every bar in Jakarta (and even inside nightclubs sometimes).

If you are interested in watching sports that are more popular among the expat crowd (Rugby, AFL, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc...), it is probably best to visit a proper sports bar. There are several in the city, many of which are located in the South (Kemang, Mega Kuningan).

Opened in 2015, Masters is one of the newest sports bars in Jakarta. It is owned by a group of expats (and one Indonesian) that you are likely to meet at their bar on weekend nights. They have two giant projector screens, probably the largest in Jakarta, featuring sports and music videos. In the back, you'll also find 4 professional pool tables that you can use for free. Their prices are affordable considering the area (around Rp40,000 for a beer) and they serve good food.

Eastern Promise, generally called EP, is one of the oldest expat bars in Jakarta. It has several rooms, including a restaurant and a beer garden (with live music). There is also a small sports bar with a few TVs and a large screen. It is often packed and popular with girls as well, particularly the "bule" hunting type.

While it only opened early May 2017, McGettigan's is already one of my favorite venues to watch sports in Jakarta. Very wide space, plenty of TVs, an upmarket crowd (expat mixed with Indonesians), and a central location in Mega Kuningan.

A mix between a restaurant and a bar, Aphrodite has been a favourite of the expat crowd for more than 15 years. This is mainly because of its proximity to the Taman Rasuna tower complex and because they are known to offer good-value Western food. They have TVs all around the main room playing sports (usually football, rugby, cricket, motoGP, etc...). You can also play pool and darts. There are some unattached ladies as well.

Owned by the same group behind Aphrodite, Fez can get very busy whenever there is an important game (especially if it involves an Australian team). They have a rather cheap menu with some Indian specialties from the Kinara restaurant.

Just 100 meters from Masters, Jimm's Sports Café is a small venue with a clean look. The few times I've been there, the crowd was mostly Indonesian with only about 25% of expats. They could probably add a few more large screens, but I enjoy the cozy atmosphere.